: I am a mathematician with a Ph.D. from Cambridge University, England, where I studied finite group theory, working on the classification of finite simple groups. I became a lead cryptographer, first for the U.K. government and later for the United States. My work involved solving complex data problems, such as the analysis of cryptosystems and spread spectrum communications. I also designed new communication systems. In addition I have spent several years in finance where I applied statistical insights to the financial markets. I joined the Whitehead Institute/MIT Center for Genome Research believing my skills were well suited to improving the advanced statistical analysis of biological data. My initial work at the Center has produced working algorithms for pairing haplotypes with disease and for choosing markers for genotyping analysis. I continue to enjoy stimulating and productive interactions with the researchers at the Center. I am committed to a course in retraining to enrich my knowledge of biology so that I may better understand the basis of the material on which I am working. My retraining will include formal coursework, on-the-job training, and learning through interactions with my more experienced colleagues. The grant will allow me to continue working on the cross-species comparison of four yeast genomes. This project should uncover much new yeast biology, and is a prototype for a similar study of gene regulation in mammals. I will carry out this research in the interdisciplinary environment of the Whitehead Institute/MIT Center for Genome Research. Dr. Lander will serve as project mentor. Dr. Lander earned his doctorate in pure mathematics and has worked successfully at the interface of pure mathematics and molecular biology as well as in genome research. He better than anyone understands what new perspectives and novel collaborations on longstanding biological problems can result from the interaction of divergent disciplines in the research environment. [unreadable] [unreadable]